Falling In
by Kat R. Fair
Summary: Meeting up after years of silence, it's funny how they just fall into old patterns, except old patterns become new ones now that they're grown up.


Title: Falling in

Pairing: Chitose/Tachibana

Prompt: September, actress, mobile phone, mp3 player

Disclaimer: It's not my pot! it's Konomi-sensei's!

It's September when Chitose meets up with Tachibana again. They meet on a crowded Tokyo street, years of silence standing between them even as the crowd pushes them together. Tachibana is on his cellphone, though he never tells Chitose whom he was talking to, and Chitose is plugged into his mp3 player. They don't speak a word but it is as if the years have never passed and they understand each other without speaking. Together they step out of the throng and slip into a restaurant, the dinner crowd has yet to hit it and Chitose and Tachibana are able to procure a secluded table easily.

"It's been a while." Chitose says, their first words to each other in 4 years.

"Yeah." Tachibana sips at the water the waiter had delivered, there are too many ice cubes and the glass sweats even in the air conditioning. "You still dating… er… that actress?"

In his head Tachibana had always called her less complementary names but he won't say them now. He doubted Chitose had stuck with the girl for for years, Chitose had never really been in a solid relationship for four days.

"Ran-chan. And naw, she split ages ago." Chitose digs an ice cube out of his drink and sucks it into his mouth. "I'm dating Ryuu now."

"Oh that's." Tachibana chokes on air, his eyes going wide. Chitose reaches across the table, his expression troubled as he whacks Tachibana on the back. "That's… a guy?"

Sitting back in his chair Chitose grins lazily. It's the grin that always made parts of Tachibana's stomach tie itself up in knots. Chitose's grins haunted Tachibana's teenage wet dreams, a floating smile on a shadowy phantom face. "I always kinda figured I was bi, but I only started doing guys recently."

"Doing… doing guys." Tachibana is surprised, and disappointed.

"You're not homophobic are you Kippei?" Chitose is worried, and Tachibana can't have that. He waves away Chitose's worries, assuring him that he has no problems with homosexuals.

Tachibana never admits that he is one.

They eat a quiet dinner, chatting and catching up as the restaurant slowly fills, the topic of love lives is not brought up again. Chitose's train of thought may seem random but Tachibana knows that he's being steered around safe topics. Chitose does not want their first meeting in years to have a disastrous ending. Tachibana can't help but think, in the few moments between bites of food and attempting to understand what Chitose's newest subject was all about, that if he had known Chitose was interested this might not have been their first meeting in years. It is a thought quickly banished by pleasant tones of voice and long fingers fluttering through the air as Chitose gestures empathetically

Tachibana inviting Chitose to his home follows their dinner. Tachibana lives in a small house close to the school where he has been hired. He teaches Math and coaches a burgeoning tennis team. Chitose laughs when Tachibana tells him this.

"You've developed a savior complex Kippei, you're always swooping in and saving the kids with talent." Chitose leans against Tachibana's mantel, eyeing a photo of Tachibana and the club. Chitose can't help but notice the fierce pride in Tachibana's face, or the burning intensity of his student's eyes. They have promise, and Tachibana will turn all that untried steel into sharp swords.

"We didn't make it far in the tournament last year, but we're doing well this year." Last year the school had considered cutting the tennis team's funding. Tachibana had been just a math teacher then, and had not known of the tennis teams plight until one of the members came to him. His father had played against Fudomine once, though Tachibana couldn't remember the other man's name or his team, but he remembered Tachibana. "They're good kids." Tachibana felt like he had Fudomine back when he coached the team.

"Yeah, they're always good kids Kippei." Chitose's grin is lopsided this time, and his brown eyes make Tachibana feel too warm. "That beer?"

They work through a six-pack, their faces steadily becoming redder and their fingers beginning to fumble. Alcohol loosens many things, from inhibitions to tongues, and Tachibana finds himself staring up at Chitose as the other lowers himself down and kisses him. Chitose's lips are warm and a little chapped, his tongue uncoordinated and his breath reeks of cheap beer. Tachibana's fingers wrinkle Chitose's shirt.

"Kippei." Chitose's eyes are too focused for someone on their third beer. The memory that Chitose's tolerance level has always been higher filters through Tachibana's foggy mind. "I've wanted to do that for years."

"Me too." Tachibana's words are whispered against Chitose's lips and he is sure that Chitose has not heard them. Chitose kissed him again though and it doesn't matter if Chitose heard him or not. Shirts are lost and Tachibana is pressed back into the sofa, the cushions not comfortable in the least, he had bought them because they were firm after all. Chitose is half falling off the edge of the couch but they make do.

Tachibana's shirt hangs off the edge of the couch and he is on his knees, hands gripping the couch's wooden back, his short nails clawing at the lacquered wood. Chitose is behind him, their hips moving in a timeless rhythm as Tachibana is thrust into. Body's rock together, and Tachibana grunts, then shouts as Chitose finds a spot inside of him that shoots sparks of ecstasy up his spine. Tachibana shouts again when Chitose bites his shoulder, and he comes with the realization that he is going to ruin his upholstery.

There is a sticky residue running down Tachibana's legs as Chitose pulls out, a squelching noise sounding when Tachibana unconsciously clenches. "No stamina." Chitose murmurs, brushing a black strand of hair away from Tachibana's face. Tachibana bats at his hand, murmuring uncomplimentary things as he lazes on his couch. There is a wet spot growing under him but Tachibana finds he could care less. "You died your hair again."

"I'm a teacher now." Tachibana murmurs, his eyes fluttering closed. Sleep is drawing him closer and it has been a long day. "Blond wouldn't be approved of."

"Yeah, yeah, Kippei-sensei." Warm lips press against Tachibana's and they are quirked in a mysterious half smile.

"Senri." Tachibana sighs, his body relaxing into firm cushions as he surrenders to sleep.

Tachibana wakes up in his own bed, his ass aching, and his head pounding. His stomach curls into a tight ball, and he stumbles out of bed, his head and stomach threatening to kill him as he frantically searches for any sign of Chitose. Unable to fight the compulsion to vomit and finding no sign of his friend Tachibana bolts his small bathroom, falling to his knees on the hard tile floor and glad he had cut his hair short as he vomits into the toilet bowl. A sour taste fills his mouth as he retches, and the bright lights of his bathroom make his head pound more. Flushing the toilet Tachibana levers himself up using his sink, turning it on and rinsing his mouth out. Glancing up at the mirror Tachibana nearly swallows his first mouthful of water.

'Kippei- here's my contact info, don't know what time you'll be home from working tonight but I stole your spare key so I'll let myself in, also stole some of your aspirin, hope you don't mind – Love Senri'


End file.
